SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Assessment - 1, Winter Semester- 2023-24 Course Code & Name: BCSE354E

Information Security Management
Slot : L57+L58 Class Number: VL2023240503105

In this lab assignment, you will utilize Wireshark, a powerful network protocol
analyzer, to examine network traffic patterns of chosen website of student choice
where website first character should match with student name first letter. This
assignment will require a deep understanding of networking protocols, packet
analysis techniques, and the ability to interpret and draw insights from network
traffic data.
Objectives:
1. Gain proficiency in using Wireshark for packet capture and analysis.
2. Analyze network traffic patterns to identify potential security threats,
performance bottlenecks, or network anomalies.
3. Develop skills in filtering, sorting, and analyzing network packets to extract
meaningful insights.
Requirements:
1. Access to Wireshark installed on your computer.
2. Basic knowledge of networking concepts, including TCP/IP protocols, OSI model,
and common network services.

Assignment Tasks:

Task 1: Packet Capture and Filtering

- Use Wireshark to capture network traffic within your simulated network
environment.
- Apply filters to capture specific types of traffic, such as HTTP, DNS, or SMTP.
- Save captured packets to a file for further analysis.

Task 2: Protocol Analysis

- Analyze captured packets to identify the protocols used within the network traffic.
- Determine the distribution of different protocols (e.g., TCP, UDP, ICMP) and their
respective usage patterns.
- Investigate any anomalies or unexpected protocol behavior.

Task 3: Traffic Analysis

- Examine the volume and frequency of network traffic over time.
- Identify peak usage periods and correlate them with specific network activities or
events.
- Look for any unusual spikes or drops in traffic that may indicate network issues or
security threats.

Task 4: Performance Evaluation

- Evaluate the performance of network services by analyzing response times and
packet latency.
- Identify any performance bottlenecks or areas for optimization.
- Compare performance metrics across different network segments or devices.

Task 5: Security Analysis

- Identify potential security threats within the network traffic, such as suspicious
packets, unauthorized access attempts, or malware activity.
- Investigate any abnormal network behavior or traffic patterns that may indicate a
security breach.
- Document findings and recommend security measures to mitigate risks.

Task 6: Reporting and Documentation

- Compile your analysis findings into a comprehensive report.
- Include detailed explanations of observed network traffic patterns, protocol usage,
performance metrics, and security issues.
- Provide recommendations for network optimization, security enhancements, and
future monitoring strategies.

Deliverables:
1. Wireshark packet capture files (.pcap or .pcapng) containing captured network
traffic.
2. Detailed analysis report documenting findings from each task, including
screenshots, graphs, and tables where applicable.
3. Recommendations for improving network performance, enhancing security
measures, and optimizing network infrastructure.